On the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke about the situation at the India-China border. The foreign reiterated that the situation at the border is generally stable and both sides should consolidate the present achievements and strictly abide by the relevant agreements while pushing for further cooling and easing of the conditions for sustainable peace and tranquillity at the frontier.

On the eve of the SCO Foreign Ministers meeting on Thursday, Qin made this statement during a conversation with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Benaulim, Goa. In an apparent allusion to the ongoing military standoff in Eastern Ladakh, which has put relations on hold, Qin reiterated China's position that the situation on the China-India border is currently generally peaceful, according to the news agency PTI.

In a tweet after the talks, Jaishankar said the focus remained on resolving outstanding issues and ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

"A detailed discussion with State Councillor and FM Qin Gang of China on our bilateral relationship. Focus remains on resolving outstanding issues and ensuring peace and tranquillity in the border areas," he said.

SCO, G20, and BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa)-related topics were also discussed in the meeting, according to EAM Jaishankar. The two most populous developing nations in the world, China and India, according to Qin, are both going through a crucial stage of modernization.

A new path of peaceful coexistence, peaceful development, and shared rejuvenation among major neighbors, Qin said, should be taken in order to give impetus to national rejuvenation and inject stability and positive energy into global peace and development. He also advised drawing lessons from history and approaching bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

China is prepared to collaborate with India to conduct bilateral consultations and exchanges, advance multilateral dialogue and cooperation, intensify coordination and cooperation on global and regional issues, and return China-India relations to the path of sound and stable development.

Qin Gang said China supports India in hosting a successful SCO summit and hopes that India, as the rotating chair, will play a positive role in the success of the summit in the spirit of unity and coordination.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.

Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu at a meeting that China's violation of existing border agreements "eroded" the entire basis of ties between the two countries and that all issues relating to the frontier must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts. The meeting on April 27 took place in New Delhi on the sidelines of a conclave of the SCO defence ministers.

Image source: AFP